Flame and Rebirth
by A'Rion Larent
Summary: There was no color to Lily Kazua's world, living in a nightmare of an orphanage, until one day a certain pink-haired, horned girl comes to join the abandoned children. What does fate have in store for these two out casts of society?
1. Prologue:Pinkhaired Girl

Elfen Lied

Elfen Lied

Flame & Rebirth

PROLOGUE:

My eyes scanned the room, slowly, hoping that something would be different. Hoping that somehow color would splash across the dull grey vision I had come to see, I continued to look around. It was pointless; everything had remained the same. The same children resided in this pitiful building we had all come to call home. This orphanage was the only place I had ever called home. I suppose it was due to my age that I never did make the cut. For all the 16 years I had lived, no one had dared to adopt me.

"Kazua?"

I turned to look at who had called my name. It was a girl with brown her; two annoying ponytails hung on either side.

"What do you want?" I answered coldly. I didn't want anyone's company.

She fidgeted; sweat forming on her brows as she stuttered to reply.

"I,I,It's nothing." She quickly turned away and walked.

I grimaced at the fleeting image of this girl. For some reason, all the younger girls were infatuated with being in my company. I scowled at the thought. I wasn't here for their admiration. Besides, each of these orphan girls were the same. Pathetic. They craved attention like a drug.

"So pathetic…" I muttered as I stood against the wall, eyeing each other child with disgust.

"You know right, no one will ever adopt you." It was Ms.Ren, one of the many teachers that was obligated to work here.

"Right I've always known." I replied all too coolly, she frowned.

"You should have tried harder."

I laughed at her comment. "Oh yes because it was my attitude that ruined my childhood." I could feel the venom drip from my voice.

"You only have 2 years left here." It seemed like a reminder everyday.

"Thank the heavens." I muttered and walked past her.

I returned her icy stare with twice as much hate; she was one of the most despicable humans I had ever come to know. When I first met her, she was sweet and comforting, but it didn't take long for this cough drops candy coating to fall. After she thought she had me obediently trained to obey her every whim, she began with her cruel, negligent antics. If I did something even slightly wrong, it was her hand against my cheek the next second. If ever I was bullied on, she'd turn her head the other way. If there was anyone to blame for my cold soul now, it was her.

I walked swiftly, heading towards the only place I really could find any quiet. My room, which was shared by 3 others, was mainly made up of just a bed. I didn't mind, as long as no one would bother me there; hardly anyone ever did.

"This is just what I need." I sighed as I fell flat on my back. The comforter's were as hard as a rock.

As I lay there contemplating this sorry existence I called a life, a ruckus was breaking out just beyond my walls. I groaned at whatever was creating this disturbance and my curiosity soon ruled over. I opened the door and peered out, my grey eyes glanced and widened at the view. Now here was something different. A girl with pink eyes, pink hair and…horns.


	2. Chapter 1:Differing Natures

CHAPTER 1:

DIFFERING NATURES

It was only natural for my eyes to go straight towards her. Her bright pink hair stood out amongst the many brown-headed children. Her eyes pierced through everything she looked at, though her gaze was looking down at the floor as she walked in. Above all these peculiar things, the strangest of them all was her protrusions from her head. They looked like horns.

Her head bowed down, meeting no ones' gaze and heading straight towards one of the available rooms. I frowned at the silence that ensued as she walked through the halls; she must hate the attention.

I returned to my room, for once in my life curious about this girl. For some reason, she seemed very different. I lay down and waited for the day to pass me by as it had done each and every other day.

The next morning was slightly different. I trailed the girl with pink hair to the shabby room we called the cafeteria. Nonchalance was what I was aiming for, and so far she hadn't noticed my ever observant eye. I ate a couple of seats away from her and watched as others interacted with her, or tried.

"Hey, you're the new girl right?" It was Toumo, a regular bully around here.

She ignored him and continued eating her food.

"What you can't talk?" He asked sourly as he poked her in the face roughly. "And what's up with these?" He tried pulling off one of the protrusions from her head; it obviously caused her some pain.

She still ignored him and continued eating her meal.

"Are you stupid or something?" He shoved at her rudely.

"Toumo…" I said calmly as I eyed him with the same cold eyes I greeted everyone with.

He eyed me curiously; I had never really stopped him from bullying anyone before. He smirked and left, looking as if he had just won a contest. I turned away from the pink-haired girl that had looked my way; for some reason I shied from her gaze and continued my own meal.

From then on, we kept bumping into each other and in one way or another; I would end up standing up for her. I felt awkward, not knowing her name, or anything about her, but never could I find the strength within me to get closer to her. That wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do; getting closer to someone in a place like this was a perfect formula for future heartache. Something I could definitely do without.

Then one day I was assigned to her room which surprisingly no one would take. I chuckled a bit, had she really scared off all the other children? I wish I had that same effect my first days here. I laughed eerily as I made my way to the room.

At first I thought she was gone as I scanned the room. It was quite spacious and empty with only her in it. She sat there, eyes filled with a flame I had never seen in anyone else-except for me. Her pink hair caressed her neck gently; her gaze soon fell upon me. I froze. For some strange reason I just stood there. My face was calm; in fact everything felt relaxed, as I stood there staring straight back at her.

"Guess I'm your new roommate." I stated bluntly and made my way to the bottom bunk bed across from her.

"You asked to be in here?" She asked with an awkward kind of curiousness; I almost pitied the tone.

"I don't get along with the other kids in my room. The less of them, the better off I am." I muttered as I searched for the pillow that belonged to my bed.

I looked back at her and for once I saw a smile. I didn't smile back, of course, but I did notice that all the pillows had been piled on her bed. I turned my gaze to the pillows, but she was still smiling and it made me nervous.

"Do you mind if I borrow one of those?" I asked, hoping to stop her sudden smile.

"Oh, I forgot." She apologized and threw a pillow at me.

"Thanks." I caught it and threw it near the headboard of the bed.

I remained in silence as I lay on my bed; I had no idea what to say to her. What do you say to someone who means something to you, but you have no idea why? I shook my head, hoping to clear some of the answerless questions but it didn't work. She was just as silent. I silently thanked the gods for that; those other attention-craving girls annoyed me to hell.

"You know, you'll leave soon like the others." Her voice was cold and deft.

"I wouldn't put my money on it, if I had any." I yawned; playing nonchalantly was my game.

"Not even if I have these." She pointed to the horns on her head.

I glanced up curiously; I had always wanted a closer look at the horns on her head, merely for curiosity's sake. I turned my face to look at her directly and smirked.

"Nope, not a bit." My chummy reply enticed a wide-eyed gaze from her.

"Really?" Once again that same awkward emotion pealed from her lips and I couldn't help but feel the need to comfort her, but I held back. "Why not?"

"I don't know why it would?" I decided to turn the tables and start asking her questions.

"Because they make me a monster." She whispered.

"I don't think appearances are what make monsters, monsters. If you know what I mean; just take a look at Toumo." I couldn't let her bash herself anymore. "He's more of a monster than any horned-girl I know. They actually look nice on you." The last part I muttered quickly.

She stared at me in awe as if I had just walked out with a full set of angel wings and a matching halo. I glared at her, hoping she wouldn't think I was soft. She seemed to notice the glare but only smirked in response. Never had I been so befuddled before. Usually anyone who approached me was cautious, and afterwards, if they managed to speak to me, they always left with a scared and torn expression as if I had broken their dreams.

"What?" I asked with an edgy voice.

"It's nothing." She replied, her smirk permanent as she slid on her bed.

She was obviously out of her mind to smirk at me with such confidence. I smiled secretly, happy that she was somewhat comforted by my words. Who cares if it didn't make any sense, at least it felt right. I felt that somehow I was connected to her by some invisible force instructed by fate. That didn't mean I was willing to follow fate, but I hadn't felt so comfortable about making a choice, as I did now, making this choice to be closer to this strange girl.

Night came upon the pitiful orphanage as it always did, with a sudden change of light to darkness. I didn't mind sleeping in total darkness; I had grown accustomed to it, but I knew many of the new kids were frightened of the pure blackness that painted the walls of their vision, the trees that rebelliously tapped at the windows and the feeling of being prey to a predator unseen. All these things, wrapped in one, would make anyone fear the night time. For some reason I found all this soothing; Nature was much gentler than the human presence.

This night was different; this was to be a fact as soon as I had examined the girl that lay in her bed across from me. She seemed to be writhing in pain, her skin shiny with beads of sweat and her hair clinging to her face like a magnet.

"Are you ok?" I asked dully from my sitting position on the bed.

"I'm fine." She moaned out between gritted teeth; it was obvious she was not.

"Let me see." I said as I swiftly went to her side, putting my hand on her forehead and checking her temperature. It was painfully hot. "You have a fever."

"I know…don't call the teachers!" She exclaimed at once.

"There would be no use in calling them; they won't do anything to help you." I said, hoping to calm her down. "Here I have something that might help." I went back to my bed.

Of all my belongings, this was the most important. There was nothing else to do in this shack of an orphanage, so I had picked up a hobby. With the entire plantation surrounding this building, I was able to learn a bit about herbs and the mixtures that would create remedies of sorts. I took pride in my natural ability to concoct antidotes and remedies; it was perhaps the only talent I possessed.

"Here take this." I offered her a small cup. "It probably won't taste that good, but it should bring down the fever." She took the cup and winced at the sour taste I knew it would produce. "Sorry I haven't quite managed to make the taste sweeter."

"It's ok." She gulped the rest of the medicine down. "Where'd you get this stuff?"

"I made it from the plants around this place." I gloated for once in my life.

"Really?" She seemed at awe again with me, but I merely nodded in response.

"That should bring down the fever." I placed my hand once again on her forehead. This time the fire didn't seem to be erupting; it was calming. "You should be able to sleep comfortably tonight."

"You're different." She stated casually as she stared intensely at me.

"I wouldn't say that." It was the truth.

"But you're not like them, those humans are cruel." She stated looking sincerely at me.

"How do you know I'm not cruel?" I wanted to scare her away; getting this close to someone was stupid.

"You don't hate me because of my horns." Her small, child-like hand patted my sharp cheek bones; they were very cold. "You _are_ different."

"I don't think so kid." I pulled my face from her hand; this was getting out of hand. "Get to sleep." I said as I retreated to my own bed.

I didn't wish her a good night. Hell, no one had ever wished me a goodnight, but for another unknown reason, I _wanted_ to tell her. I grasped my head tightly with my own two hands, wanting to squish out these frustrating feelings; I loathed the confusion they brought me. I felt her subtle gaze; she was just as confused as I was. I curled up in bed, facing away from her and stared at the dull white walls. It was with this confusion that I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up, my eyes scanning the walls carefully, was I seeing right? Handprints stamped the wall's surface, leaving no corner untouched. Surprisingly I wasn't frightened but I was very, very curious. How had they all appeared? Whose hands were they? They were too big to be mine or the pink-haired girls'. I stood and approached the wall, placing my hand on the imprint; it swallowed my own hand.

"Are you scared?" I hadn't noticed the girl wake up and jumped a little at her voice.

"Scared, at this?" I asked while pointing to the walls. "No…just curious." I told her the truth. These handprints bought fuzzy images to my mind, but it felt like bad reception.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized and looked down at her hands. Had she done this?

I walked to her and sat next to her on the bed. Her pink eyes looked up at me with fear, as if I was here to hurt her. My mind winced at the thought, and I tried to look friendlier. My eyes were naturally cold, but perhaps I could slowly add some light in them as I stared down at her.

"It's not a problem; I don't know why you're apologizing." I said with as much velvet I could allow into my harsh voice. "What's your name anyways?" In all this time, I hadn't managed to figure that out.

"Lucy." Her answer was short.

"I'm known as Kazua, but my name is Lily." She was still shaking for some reason, her gaze focused on the hands on the wall.

"I did this…" She whispered, fearful that someone would hear her.

It was strange, but the shock never came; I remained as calm as ever. I felt a bit strange about this wave of soothing, when I knew that I was supposed to feel a wave of electricity course through me.

"I'm not afraid; you don't scare me, Lucy." I patted her hand, trying to make her understand what I was trying to say.

"You're lying." She sharply accused me and I stared at her angrily for it.

"I wish I were." I hissed back but quickly regretted it and sighed. "Look Lucy, I don't know why I feel like this ok. For all my existence here, I have loathed every single human being for some reason or another, but when you came…" I choked down the confession; what was I doing?!

She stared at me, waiting for the answer that was naught to come, and I rose suddenly. I looked out the window; I was waiting for the answer as well, but I knew it wouldn't come so easily.

"It's time for breakfast, we should go." I stated, suddenly devoid of emotion once again. "Lucy?" I looked back after a moment of silence ensued.

It was then that my body went rigid, as her tiny arms wrapped around my lower torso and her body pressed against my own. She had hugged me and then quickly let go. I turned back to look at her, with a questioning glance.

"I believe you." Those words etched into my mind as she spoke them clearly.

She believed me.

Authors' Note: Hey everyone Arcia Moonsway here. Feel free to leave me your input; I'd appreciate it if I could get some feedback and see how this story is doing out there on the net. Alright thanks readers! I'll post the next chapter soon, hopefully.


	3. Chapter 2: Humans or Monsters

CHAPTER 2:

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ELFEN LIED.

--Author's Note--

Arcia Moonsway – Thank you for your review punkgrl326! I do appreciate feedback from my readers, so if you be visitor or a member on , please leave your thought of words behind. Well enough of my blabber, on to the story!

CHAPTER 2:

HUMANS OR MONSTERS

After that night there was an awakening; a kind of awakening that does not pass too often in the realm of humans. Or in the very least this particular snap, in the view of the world, had never been my particular goal in life. I was always by her side, either by coincidence or choice, I did not know. What I did know was my intentions – I was to protect her at any cost. It scared me that I had allowed myself to care, but something pushed me forward. That something would continue to haunt me the rest of my life.

"Kazua, why do you stand up for that freak?" It was Toumo.

I eyed the boy with an icy fierceness I had never quite unleashed; he winced slightly at the gesture, but still he stood.

"I mean she's not even human!" He stated making all the kids point and laugh at Lucy.

I gave him the same cruel glare; I could not pounce on him just yet, the timing had to be perfect and I had to maintain my calm. He looked on, annoyed that I would not answer his questions as Lucy and I continued with our lunch. He frowned in disappointment and walked away, but I knew the battle had not ended – it had barely begun. His wrist flicked and he looked ahead with eagerness as the object he threw flew straight towards its target. I was prepared for this and shot out my own hand to intervene with the red orb he had thrown; he shouldn't have carelessly wasted his apple. My reflexes were extraordinarily quick, as the apple made contact with my palm. Toumo looked shocked and I smirked back. Without any warning I threw the apple back, with as much force as I could harness into the small, rotten apple. It met its target, dead on and without any interference; that was sure to leave its mark for some time. He howled as the apple hit his forehead.

"Try that again Toumo and I'll throw it back twice as hard." I stated nonchalantly as he scowled and walked out of the room which was filled with his humility's laughter.

I stood up to leave and I knew she would follow. We walked to the outer woods of the orphanage; that was the only place where peace could be found. The lush green leaves were inviting, compared to the plain, white walls of the orphanage and the brisk, fresh air was comforting to the lungs. I sat near a tree and so did she.

"You know, I really am _not _human." Her voice broke the bird's song.

"I suppose that's why I get along with you then." My replies were always those of unsurprised motives. "What would you be, if not human?"

"I don't know. I have these horns." I looked at the objects she was referring too; they reminded me so much of something, but what?

"Either humans are monsters, or we're surrounded by monsters and haven't quite met a decent human yet." I proposed out loud. "Who knows…" I muttered and rested back on the tree, face looking up towards the sky.

"You're a decent human." She always saw something in me that wasn't exactly true.

"Lucy, how many times do I have to tell you that I'm not some angel that came down from heaven?" I gave her my annoyed look; she had grown accustomed to it.

"Maybe not an angel, but you are different from them." She sat closer to me, leaning her head on my shoulder; I didn't have the lack of a heart to push her off.

"I wish I could agree." I stared down at her burning pink eyes. "You know what's kind of sad?" I asked with a smirk.

"What?"

"You may be my first friend, or the closest thing to a friend, anyways."

"Friend?"

"Yes, you know someone to talk to and trust. Not that I talk to you much, but you get the main idea." I commented as I continued to look up at the tall trees.

"Why?" She always sounded so insecure.

"I think I'm somehow connected to you." I muttered, annoyed that I did not even know the true answer. In all honesty, she reminded me of something, but my mind always fuzzed at the exact memory. "Don't worry about it."

I relaxed my shoulders and leaned my own head on her pink hair; always mindful of her horns. I noticed as she tensed her posture, so I removed my head and rested it back on the tree. I scowled at myself for allowing such a gesture.

"You can lean on me." She said almost gruffly. "I just wasn't expecting it from you." She explained.

I smiled slightly and chuckled slightly.

"You didn't expect if from me?" I asked, questioning what she meant by that.

"I've noticed how you don't want to get close to me." Her tone was sullen.

"It's not for the reasons you think." I replied, sighing as I looked straight at her. "To be truthful, I'm scared that I feel a certain responsibility over you. It was much easier, when I didn't have to care about anyone." The truth had to come out some time.

She stared at me; her big, pink eyes moist. I smiled once more and slightly nudged her on the shoulder.

"Don't get too soft on me just yet." I added playfully.

She smiled back and wiped away any excess moisture that had escaped her lids. She stood up and looked back towards the orphanage; then she frowned.

"You won't be staying here much longer, will you?"

I winced at the question; before, I would have smiled.

"I'm turning 17 in a couple of weeks; next year they will get rid of me." Ms. Ren had been reminding me daily.

"And I'll still be here."

"Maybe, you never know." I had been thinking about that certain problem as well. I would soon be gone from this hell; I would soon be free to graduate from the tyranny of the orphanage to the tyranny of the world – how lovely. But I could not just leave Lucy here. Could I? I looked at her small, fragile figure; they would surely destroy her, if I was gone. It tore me on the inside to leave her, and so I thought of taking her with me. Of course, the chances of that were slim.

"No one will adopt me, I know that for sure. No one wants a kid with horns coming out of their head. They all think I'm weird because I don't act like a normal kid." She spat these words as if they burned her tongue.

"I would adopt you." I blurted out but then quickly caught my tongue. "If I could, that is." Once again her eyes widened at my words.

"You would adopt me!?"

"I was just saying if it were possible, I would." I muttered uncomfortably. "I wouldn't leave you here."

Without any more words, she flung her arms around me. At first I was going to shrug her off. I wasn't sure if I could live up to my words and really adopt her, but I would try when the time came. I relaxed at her embrace and cautiously placed my own arms around her small framed back. She was so easy to hold on to. I slowly stood, breaking the embrace, but I smiled back down at her.

"Guess we should be getting back." I stated and looked towards the orphanage. "Ms. Ren wanted me to go out and buy groceries; she's probably mad that she can't find me."

"You're allowed to go out?" It was one of the many rules, for the orphan children to not wander far from the orphanage.

"Because I'm older and I'm going to have to look out for myself soon, I have various tasks assigned to me. I'll be out for awhile today. Usually I get things done very early in the morning, or very late at night." I explained as we walked down the path to the orphanage. "Maybe I'll bring you with me sometime." I suggested.

She nodded in agreement and we continued the walk in silence.

When we arrived at the orphanage, I noticed Ms. Ren pacing about like a predator keenly searching for its prey. I approached her without fear and her gaze burned through me – she had been waiting.

"Kazua, where have you been?" She asked most sternly.

"Out for some air."

"I told you that today we needed groceries." She shouted; I was surprised I had not yet gone deaf.

My eyes remained calm as I bore my gaze on to her face. Her brows wrinkled with fury and created the sternest 'v' shaped brow I had ever witnessed. I struggled to keep my laughter down as she continued her shouting lecture, of which I was paying no attention to; her brow was far more entertaining than anything her tongue produced. As she blabbered on I noticed she caught eye of Lucy who was cowering behind me.

"Oh so now you have a friend?" Ms. Ren asked with sweet poison etched on her lips.

My mood shifted immediately from one of annoyance to one of distress. I looked down at Lucy, hoping she would be smart and leave my side immediately, before Ms. Ren would see that she was my one weakness. Lucy registered my distress but had no idea where to go.

"She's not my friend; she just won't go away." I turned back to Ms. Ren quickly and replied with as much haste.

"Oh really." She knew she had me cornered. "Go get the groceries Kazua; that'll give you some free time from this pest of a girl. I'll make sure she doesn't bother you anymore." I bit my lip as she spoke these words; I knew I would only make it worse if I reacted violently.

I walked away, hoping Ms. Ren would be fooled by my nonchalant behavior; it had never failed me, but as I turned back to watch, Ms. Ren was overshadowing Lucy. That was the first time I felt my own eyes feel watery, as I watched Lucy become her prey and felt Lucy's gaze go straight to me – fear eminent in her eyes. I continued to walk, the fire of regret and failure burning deep within me. I was to always protect her and I had failed so soon. I walked faster, hoping that I could get the groceries quickly and return before too much damage was done. With the thought of saving her from the claws of human cruelty, I sprinted away, hoping to return in time. I would come back for her and when I did come back, I would have a plan to take my vengeance on those who had dared to hurt her. Madness ran across my mind as I formulated plans on how to evaluate my revenge and I knew that nothing could save those that earned a name on that list.

--Author's Note--

Whew! Took me awhile to post up another chapter and I apologize for the wait, but I'm rather over worked most of my days. I'll begin working on the next chapter, which will be a bit darker now that Lily has had enough of Ms. Ren, and there will definitely be a deeper connection between Lily Kazua and Lucy in the next chapter, when Lily returns to orphanage. Hope you enjoy the story thus far.


	4. Chapter 3: Hating the Breed

Author's Note: How long has it been since my last update? Too long! I'm sorry, so, so, so sorry! But here's chapter 3. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 3:

HATING THE BREED

The blinking green lights on the car stereo passed by too fast as I rushed to drive back to the orphanage. With no doubt in my mind that Ms. Ren had somehow punished Lucy, I sped all the way to the orphanage, not caring whether or not I would get in trouble. Once I was parked well enough, I kicked the door open, left the groceries to rot and jumped out of my seat. Ms. Ren would just have to get some other helpless soul to get her groceries.

The smiles that greeted me as I walked in, gave me no comfort at all. Why were they all smiling? That mischievous smile that they bore bode ill for me and I knew it. Toumo came into view; he was snickering as I passed him by. I stopped and stood in front of him; he seemed a bit caught off guard, but he had no intention of leaving.

"How's that bruise coming along?" I asked sarcastically as I eyed the purple ring under his eye; who ever knew an apple could hit so hard.

"I wouldn't worry about me; you should go visit your little monster friend." He spoke with confidence; I loathed him for it.

I nodded and continued on my way to our room; I had a feeling she would be there.

The door creaked as the light spilled into the dark room. There she sat. Curled on her bed, she held her pillow tightly to her chest. I walked over quietly and sat next to her. I couldn't look right at her; the fear at what I would find held me back.

"I'm sorry." My voice cracked as my fists' clenched in my lap. "I should've done something."

It became obvious that she was silently crying, when I turned to look at her cautiously. Her eyes held sadness and something darker lay deep within in her pink orbs.

"What did they do?" I had to ask.

"I'm not a monster." She whispered.

"Lucy the only monsters here are the people with black hearts. You're not one of them. I would know." I embraced her gently and drew her into the safety of my arms. "I won't leave you alone again, no matter what."

Her lithe arms held on tight as she continued to whimper in my blouse. I could care less about the level of affection I was allowing myself to show; right now she needed my comfort more than ever. I noticed how her arms showed signs of bruises, and I cursed under my breath. Ms. Ren had most likely allowed the other kids to beat her relentlessly. My hate for that woman tripled in size, or more like consumed my every thought on revenge. I would make her pay for her medieval methods.

I waited until nightfall before I carried out my plan. I would kill that wretched woman; I didn't know if the world would become a better place because of her absence, but I was sure that she was cut out better for hell anyways. I watched as Lucy breathed at a steady pace; she was asleep. Under my pillow was the tool of murder I had been hiding. The chef's knife would make a pretty cut on Ms. Ren's neck.

I made my way silently out of the room. If I eliminated Ms. Ren, I'd be free to take Lucy into my custody; it was as simple as that. I wouldn't be leaving any trace that I was the murderer; in fact the blame would be placed on Toumo, seeing as his hands were the last to actually grab the handle of the knife. I smiled as I held the knife with gloves on.

I opened the door to her room and walked in with the essence of a ghost. The lights were off and it was impossible to detect where exactly her bed lay. My heart began to race like it never had before. The shrill feeling of excitement and fear began to overflow at once. My eyes adjusted to the darkness, but as soon as I was able to make out her bed, all that lay there were a couple of ruffled blankets.

My brow raised in confusion. Where had she gone? As soon as this thought prevailed the lights flickered on.

"Did you think you were the first one to ever try this?" It was Ms. Ren's voice.

I turned around quickly, only to see Ms. Ren pointing a gun straight at me.

"You know if I shoot you right here and now, it really wouldn't look so bad on me. After all you did come in here with the intention of killing me, did you not?" She chuckled evilly at the end.

"I will kill you." I took a step forward.

"You always were a pain darling." With that said, she pulled the trigger.

The shot blasted and I thought for sure the bullet had struck me. I cringed slightly but after a couple of moments I realized I had not been hit. At first I thought she had really shitty aim, but I was no more than 4 feet away from her. I opened my eyes to see what had happened. The gun hovered in the air.

I looked at the gun hovering in the air and felt as if it were in my own hands. Then I realized, I could move it. I swayed it to the left and then to the right. It was under my control. I looked to my right, and then to my left. What were these extra set of arms?

"What the hell?" Ms. Ren shouted as she fell to the floor. "What the hell are you?"

I had a crooked smile on as I addressed her.

"No more of a monster than you are…darling." It was my turn to pull the trigger and I did.

I never knew so much blood could spew from one single body. It was horribly magnificent. At first I felt a certain sense of joy, but somewhere deep within I was disgusted with myself. I had taken a life; did that make me a monster? My innocence now rendered by a corruption known thoroughly as sin. I shuddered as I viewed the random splats of crimson red paint the wall. The arms that had helped me in killing Ms. Ren continued to hover and suddenly I grew afraid of them.

An image pulsed in my head. These memories did not belong to me, but they remained picture clear. A baby, wrapped in cloth, but two strange protrusions persisted on its head. A sudden pain enveloped my head. It stabbed persistently, with no mercy. The two horns had been broken off; a woman's crying could be heard. What was this? I looked at the baby, its velvet black hair resembled my own, and then it stopped crying. As its eyes opened, I was looking straight into my own grey colored eyes. I was the baby.

I emitted a beastly yell as the images continued to flock to my head. So this was the connection I shared with Lucy. We were remnants of a killer breed. Would she also share in this bloodshed? I didn't want her to. I'd never want this for anyone; it was ugly, disgusting, and cruel. I realized then that killing Ms. Ren would not bring about the end of my problems, and that the evil she once harbored would only move on to take another form.

"I'm sorry Lucy…" I whimpered as I heard the sirens of the police draw near. "I will not kill them." I promised myself this; I would not let my newfound powers make me into a monster. "I'll find you soon."

They cuffed me and made a ruckus while they were at it. I smiled inwardly, Lucy would still be sleeping. I had made sure that she would stay asleep soundly if at least for just this one night; her late night cocoa had a small dose of a sleeping remedy I had worked to perfection.

I knew at once what she would be facing. Not only would she have to deal with the monsters hidden in the guises of humans, but with the monsters within her self as well. I prayed as I was thrown into the back of the police car; I prayed that she would not come to hate the breed: Human and Diclonius alike.

Author's End Note:

It's a bit on the short side, but I wanted to progress a little bit faster. There will most likely be a slight time leap, since placing the story in this time was only meant to serve as a prologue of sorts to define the relationship Lily and Lucy built.


	5. Chapter 4: Innocence is a Stranger

I've been trying to get to this fanfic for awhile seeing as this anime is one of the dearest to me, and so I'm happy to finally get a chapter out. I'm not sure how many readers I have for this fic, but if you could leave some reviews I'd appreciate it. Alright I hope you enjoy.

Flame and Rebirth

Chapter 4: Innocence is a Stranger

Time had passed and I had been caged from society. 6 years had passed while I was confined as a murderer. Originally I had been sentenced for life, but digging up records of the orphanage and Ms. Ren's cruel and unusual practices, I was pardoned from serving such a sentence. I held my breath as the cuffs that once held me were released. The weight was gone. The bars lifted. I was free.

"Get out of here." I felt a rough hand push me forward, but did nothing to retaliate; I was glad to be pushed out of here.

I winced as I looked up at the vast open, blue sky; it had been too long since it was not chopped in pieces by a fence. I smiled as I took a few steps forward; I really had nowhere to go, but I had the ability to go anywhere. I took one step towards nowhere and I knew it was once step closer to Lucy. Time had taught me patience, and patience had granted me more knowledge than I had ever hoped to have. During my time at the prison, details of Lucy's past had leaked in: a pink-haired girl who decapitated her victims; slaughtered the children at the orphanage. No one had known of my connection with Lucy—no one who remained living, anyways. I sighed and continued my walk towards the harbor. There was enough money for one ticket, but to where?

I suppose searching at the beginning wouldn't hurt; in fact that was where even more disturbing rumors had cropped up: Kamakura, Japan. The reports of pink-haired girls with horns had reached me through a reliable source—detectives couldn't keep their mouths shut for crap. The ship was fairly empty as I boarded; my body relaxed as I kept at the edge of the boat. The water calmed me down, and the wind felt nice as it gently brushed by.

"Do you have business in Kamakura?" An elderly man came on deck.

"Looking for my past… and future." I added at the end as I thought of Lucy.

"Don't lose your way, my child…" He looked at the vast ocean and added, "Not everything will appear as it seems." And with that he walked away.

I raised an eyebrow at him, but before I could thank him, he was gone. I smirked as I continued to look out at the vast body of water—old people sure had an eerie way of knowing things they shouldn't. There wasn't much to me since I had been kept in prison; I had kept to myself and gone about as if prison life were normal. At first I had been subjected to cruel and unusual treatment, but my inmates soon learned that I wasn't completely as defenseless as I looked. I looked to my sides and found those same hands by me—the hands that only I could see. They were at once a curse and a gift; without them I'd be defenseless, subject to the cruelty of humankind, but with them I was at once abnormal and alone, or so it seemed.

"Lucy…" The name fell off my lips and it felt nostalgic to say it once more. "You've lost your way because of me."

Once I arrived at Kamakura harbor I began my search immediately. After all, how hard could it be to locate a pink-haired girl? I walked into a market place full of various types of people. It felt strange as if everyone knew I wasn't an inhabitant of Kamakura; as if they knew I was looking for someone. It didn't help that the prison had made me somewhat paranoid of my surroundings. I shrugged it off and continued to look around—I found girls with brown pig-tails, girls with blonde bobs, but I couldn't find a single pink-haired girl. As for readings of any Diclonius in the area, I simply couldn't focus in on it. My stomach began to grumble; I had completely forgotten about food. I sighed as I stood in line for a simple bowl of Ramen, anything would do for now.

"See Nana this is what you use to pay for food." I heard someone speak as if instructing a child when I entered the small ramen stand.

I ordered some water and began to sip at it.

"Oh I see…and to think this whole time I've been burning it."

At that comment I nearly choked on my water and began to cough hysterically. Once I got a hold of myself I looked in the direction that the conversation had emanated from and found myself at a complete standstill—I had found a pink-haired girl after all. However, she wasn't Lucy. She was younger than Lucy should be, her eyes seemed kinder and her figure too lanky.

"Excuse me, are you ok?" The girl, who was with the pink-haired one, addressed me.

"I'm fine…just taken by surprise." I kept my gaze on the girl called Nana. "May I ask you something?"

"Umm sure I guess." She smiled warily as she turned towards me.

"You can sense me, can't you?" If she truly was a Diclonius then she would understand my question.

Immediately her eyes changed from innocent and kind, to wary and untrusting.

"Who are you?" I could see her invisible arms poised to attack.

"I'm not here to cause trouble." I smirked as my ramen arrived and I began to pick at it—someone of her level was no threat to me. "I just need to know something."

"Why can't I sense you?" she asked as I continued to eat.

"I'm not sure; I couldn't exactly sense you either. The readings at Kamakura are kind of murky." I said in all honesty.

"What do you want?"

"Do you know where I can find a girl named Lucy?" I watched as her eyes widened at the mention of Lucy.

"Why?"

Her questions were beginning to get on my nerves; in consequence I slightly slammed my hand down on the table, making the brown-haired girl fret.

"Look, either you know or you don't; I'm the one asking questions." I glanced at her with a peeved expression.

"Stay away from her." Nana rose and instructed the girl to follow her.

I took a couple more slurps of my ramen and cursed under my breath. I left the money on the table and the bowl of hot ramen nearly full as I began to pursue the brat. Sensing her may have been a bit difficult but that didn't mean she was completely invisible. I lurked in the shadows yet I knew she could feel me to; she knew, as well as I did, that I would not leave her alone. An ugly knot of vengeance began to ball up as I realized that I couldn't sense Lucy here although I had somewhat confirmed that she was in fact on this harbor—had she been hurt? I scowled as the thought crossed my mind, but continued hunting my prey.

I turned the corner expecting to see the back of the two girls, but there stood Nana: alone and ready to battle. I stood still and calm—she could do me no harm, not from that distance.

"I said to leave us alone."

"I'm only here for Lucy." How many times would I have to repeat myself? "I won't let you hold her hostage anymore."

"Hostage?" Nana faltered in her step as she backed away from me.

"I can't sense her, so you must be holding her against her will, or hiding her." I walked towards her. "I made a promise to her a long time ago… I won't stop until I find her."

"You don't work at the research facility?"

I froze in my tracks as her words reached me. Research facility? No, it couldn't be. Of all the fearful theories that I had while imprisoned, the thought of Lucy being someone's science experiment had plagued me the most. Our horns made us special, made us different, and made the world fearful of such differences. If she had indeed been captured then she would have grown to hate the human race even more.

"What are you talking about; what research facility?"

"You really aren't from there…" I watched as her demeanor began to change. "Who are you to Lucy?"

I chuckled as the question rolled about in my head. Who was I to Lucy? I often asked myself the same thing. Could I really be called her guardian when I had failed to save her from a life of pain and misery?

"I'm not sure what I am to Lucy, but she's very special to me." I had a feeling this girl was on the same side as me even if she thought I was the enemy.

She lingered a moment, looking at me with her pink eyes and then began to walk closer. I stood still and waited. Before I had time to object she raised her hand and placed them over my broken horns—they very thing that made Diclonius so noticeable. Her eyes filled with tears as she rubbed over them. I took her wrists and gently pulled them away.

"It was a long time ago when my horns were taken away. I'm Lily Kazua; please take me to Lucy."

She nodded and took my hand in hers.

"It's okay to come out now Mayu." Nana instructed down a dark alley and out came the brown haired girl that had been with her earlier.

She took one look at me and smiled weakly; apparently she had heard everything that had just been said and took comfort in that, but I could still see she was intimidated by my emotionless mask. It seemed strange as I noticed the interaction between the two young girls: they were like siblings. A Diclonius and a human walking side by side; not trying to kill each other—it gave me hope. A hope that I had almost forgotten: a world in which Diclonius and human could love each other.

"We're home!" Nana exclaimed as we entered a huge, shrine-looking building.

The earth stopped revolving and time seemed delayed if for but a moment. I couldn't hear my own heartbeat or the noises around; all I heard was 'Nyuu', and all I saw was a long, pink-haired girl running towards me with her arms wide open. I knew at once that she was Lucy, but at the same time she was not. Her arms wrapped around me and before I could protest her face nuzzled in my chest. I held her but something was wrong. It felt so good holding her; knowing she was safe, but deep within a sadness was beginning to form—where was the girl that had been with me so long ago?

"Nyuu, stop that!" A girl's voice broke through as the energetic Lucy was taken away from me. "I'm sorry, she gets really excited when we have visitors." She bowed and apologized.

"Her name is Nyuu?" I raised an eyebrow at the nickname.

"Her speech is limited, but she expresses herself pretty well with the phrase of 'nyuu' so that's what we ended up calling her." She explained. "By the way I'm Yuka."

I looked towards Nana and she nodded her head. I looked over Nyuu again who was whining that she couldn't be near me. I put my hand on Yuka's shoulder, letting her know it was okay to let Nyuu come near me. The girl immediately put on a smile and wrapped her arms around me again. I looked in her pink eyes and found pure innocence and gaiety.

"It's nice to meet you." I said softly as I hugged her. This might have been Lucy if life had been fair.

"This is Lily, she's an old friend of Nyuu's; I thought it would be okay to bring her here." Nana explained as the strange family gathered.

I felt Yuka's gaze rest on me as if evaluating the truthfulness of my presence. Everyone seemed to doubt I was here for Lucy's good; everyone seemed inclined to believe that I was out to hurt her instead. I held the childish Diclonius in my arms and fondly returned my gaze to her—if only Lucy could really start over, her world would be filled with less blood and hate.

"Hello, I see Nyuu has taken to you." A boy entered with a gentle smile on his lips. "Would you like to join us for dinner?"

The question took me by surprise. Here was a boy I hardly knew, who knew even less about me, yet he was willing to have me in his home. Here was a human that could help my dream come true and I was willing to be that he was the reason that Nyuu even existed as she did.

"That would be nice." In truth I was starving to death.

We all sat as we began to eat, and I couldn't help but laugh at Nyuu's table manners. She scarfed down her food before I could even lift the chopsticks to my lips. She smiled warmly at me and continued her antics.

"So far all she can say is 'nyuu' and 'Kouta'" Yuka explained with a slight shrug.

"Is that so?" I looked at Nyuu and smiled. "You've forgotten me haven't you?"

She seemed to catch the sadness in my eyes and immediately hers welled up with tears. I panicked as I realized how sensitive she was to others emotions and put on a happy façade. I didn't want her to feel guilty. Kouta had told me how they found her on the beach, bleeding from the head, naked from head to toe and incapable of human speech. It was no wonder she suffered from memory loss.

"I'm Lily." I smiled at her and to my surprise her teary eyes went away.

"Li….ly." she mouthed it out and brought the table activity to a halt.

"She's never said anyone else's name before." Yuka commented.

"Perhaps it's because we knew each other in the past."

"But she says Kouta's name…" Yuka stopped short which stirred suspicion on my side—she certainly didn't like the inferences I was making with my earlier statement.

"It's just a guess."

Dinner went on without further complication; in fact everything seemed merrier as time passed by. Ignorance shrouded the humans that resided here, of this I was sure. They couldn't know what I, Nana and Lucy were. It wouldn't be long before Nyuu remembered something, and it wouldn't be long before Lucy came back. I wasn't sure when Lucy would come back, but I did know that this time I would be here for her. For now she would be this innocent stranger of which I knew nothing about; of which the world could care less of, but when she changed back to the girl I once knew, so to would the world rear its ugly head and demand our death.


	6. Chapter 5:Shattered Soul

A/N: I've noticed this fanfic is my second most-read fic, so I will now devote more time to its completion. Please read and review! It's really the only way I can better my writing and ideas.

Flame and Rebirth

Chapter 5: Shattered Soul

I had been granted permission to stay at the shrine by the boy called Kouta, and as long as I did something productive it was without charge. It took me as strange that this boy was so ready to extend his arms to anyone in need of his support. If he had met Lucy in the past, she would have taken to this boy immediately. However if he did know her, then he must have noticed the obvious differences between the sweet, child-like girl she was now and the cynical, yet loving child she had been then.

I had taken to helping Nyuu with the chores, seeing as she seemed to make the most fun out of it. We started to race down the hall, rag in hand and charged ahead. At the end we would both skid to a stop. I began to laugh as she began to hug me affectionately; with all my strength I tried to pull her off of me but to no avail.

"Nyuu, nyuu, nyuu!" She whined as I wrestled with her.

"Stop it! We're never gonna get anything done." I couldn't help but burst out in laughter as she continued to lavish me with attention.

She seemed to calm down at that but her smile remained constant. If I could have saved Lucy from her chaotic past I would have; she would have been just like this. Time spent in that god-forbidden, sorry excuse for an orphanage had tainted both of us to the core. I had been pushed to kill a woman (even if that woman was the devil herself…) and she had been pushed to shatter blood as well. It was a mean cycle of cruelty, but it wasn't entirely impossible to stop it.

"Nyuu, how about me and you go for a walk?" I asked her as we finished up wiping the floors.

"Nyuu!" She sounded excited as ever.

I took that as a yes and gently grabbed her hand. As we walked out she took my whole arm and hugged it for safekeeping. I smiled and allowed her to continue in her affectionate way—there was a time when I could not stand to let her express her affection, but that was far behind me. The clouds up above looked menacing and it wasn't long before it began to rain.

"Nyuu!" she unclasped my arm and ran for shelter.

I tried to grab her arm before she could make it too far, but it was too late she had already slipped and fallen. I went to her side immediately and checked to see if she was alright. Perhaps taking a walk wasn't the brightest idea of them all. I sighed as she rested in my arms, apparently unconscious from her fall—I knew she would be ok even if suffering a minor concussion.

"You still look the same when you sleep." I commented as I carried her over to a shrine; at least the rain wouldn't drown us in here.

A sharp pain began to burrow in my head until I was forced to clutch onto it—what the hell was happening? As I squinted at Lucy's face I realized she was coming to, and this pain was her presence; she had returned. She opened her eyes and they were sharp, intellectual and full of pain. Before she could catch my gaze she scrambled away and stood some distance from me.

"Lucy…" I could only whisper her name.

Her wide-eyed expression told me she was shocked; the way she curled her hands into a fist told me she was angry and the hands I could feel around my neck told me I was in danger.

"Stop it…" I stammered for air. "Stop it!" I shouted as she applied more pressure.

"Why should I?" Her voice was cold and devoid of emotion. "You left me there…" Her accusations were like knives aimed at my heart.

"I, I know…" I summoned my arms and knocked hers away. "I know Lucy and I'm sorry."

Her eyes widened a second time as she realized that I too was Diclonius, and it was at that moment she fell to her knees. I approached her without fear and held her shoulders. She was crying. I pulled her into an embrace and held her as her body shook with emotion.

"I wanted to go back, but there was no way I could." I whispered in her ear.

"You could have fought your way out." She responded as her arms wrapped around me, pulling me into an even tighter embrace.

"I killed Ms. Ren… after that I didn't want to kill anymore." I wasn't sure she would understand my motives, but it was the only answer I could provide for now.

"They're nothing but maggots…" she professed as she spoke of humans.

I winced as I realized she had already been poisoned by cruelty.

"What about Kouta? Is he a maggot too?" I felt her take a sharp intake of breath.

"He's…different." She muttered as she pulled away from the embrace. "You look the same."

I smirked as she noticed a key element of my survival—she was correct I didn't look a day older than I did when I had turned 18. For some reason I had stopped at this particular age and had taken notice when year after year, my countenance refused to change.

"I waited for you." I spoke in full earnest as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"They'll come looking for me and they'll try to kill you too." Lucy looked out towards the rain. "There's no peace in this world for people like you and me."

"Nana's told me about the research facility. We could destroy it if we really wanted to." I tried to reason with her; tried to make her see that life shouldn't be lived through tunnel vision.

"What's the point? Once we get rid of them, new ones will take their place. As long as Diclonius exist, humans will hunt them."

"That's not true!" I made her look at me by cupping her face. "If I were human, would you love me any less?"

"Who said I ever loved you?" Lucy spat out as she slapped my hand away.

I bit on my lower lip as rage consumed me, but I took a deep breath and decided I couldn't let anger take a hold of me now. She sneezed once and then tried to stop the second one from coming. I put my hand to her forehead and felt her burning flesh below.

"You have a fever." I said it with a sense of déjà vu and quickly removed my hand. "I have medicine back at home." I muttered as I turned away from her.

I began to walk away, unsure of where I was going, but knowing that to stay by her was to feel an immense amount of unfulfilled longing. As I took a few steps I felt two arms wrap around my torso and pull me back.

"I didn't mean that…" She spoke with the same pained tone she had as a child. "I missed you." Those three words healed my seeping wounds and I turned back to face her.

"I promise I won't lose you this time." She rested her head on my chest—she was still a few inches shorter than me.

The look she gave me after our embrace was riddled with all sorts of emotion; opposites living side by side. At once she was trusting and mistrustful, loving and bitter, happy yet pained—such was the heart of a battered woman. It would take some time before I could get her to believe in me once more and I didn't really blame her; I had failed her once before, what made her think I wasn't going to fail again? A sad smile played on her lips as she took in my features.

"I never thought you were a Diclonius…" She sifted her hands through my hair until she found the slightly rigid and staggered stumps. I winced slightly and she had a sorry look on her face, but continued to examine them. "They're both gone." She murmured.

"I don't remember exactly when, but I was very young." I explained as she moved her hands to my face.

"Do you like me?" She seemed to be in a trance, yet just as serious as she could be.

I stood there flustered by her question. What exactly did she mean? Of course I cared for her, but to what extent I couldn't be sure of. I thought of everything that would make her happy; the answer that she wanted to hear, but I settled on the truth—it was only thing I had left to give.

"I like you as you are, even if I do not agree with some of your beliefs." I smiled as she continued to caress my face. "I have to ask this though… what's Kouta to you?" She froze at the question.

Her guilt became an entity all its own as I searched her eyes for an answer. It was as I thought—she loved him. Yet her pained expression told another story—one of regret. I watched as she struggled to put words to the deed of her past.

"When I left the orphanage, I prayed that you would not learn to hate the breed: human and Diclonius alike. However, I know that I'm too late. Where I should have been your teacher and guidance, cruel men have taken my place." I sighed as I brushed her hair gently with my fingers. "You became the product of our society, of infernal hatred curled and raging within. The actions you have taken thus far are reflections of that. What you have done, whatever it is, can be forgiven if you seek forgiveness. What you will do is completely up to you." I knew she had many trials ahead, but I wanted to let her know that she wasn't alone. "I'm here to atone for my sins, and to return to all that I once loved."

Her gaze rose quickly from the ground to my eyes as I uttered the word 'loved'; she had to have known that I would only return for her. I smiled warmly as I chuckled at her dumbfound expression and pulled her into a joyous embrace.

"I'm here for you Lucy." I simply stated.

"You're different." She muttered as I let her go from the embrace.

"I took for granted what I had, and now I can never forget what's worth living for." I smirked at her and ruffled her hair. "You're still just a kid."

She scowled but smiled slightly after.

"I have to go back." She spoke solemnly.

"I'll go with you."

I shuddered as I felt her presence fade from my atmosphere and when I looked back down again her eyes were big and innocent. For one moment she was utterly confused, but in an instant she was her usual, energetic self. I held her close and yearned with all the essence of my heart that her soul would mend and become one again; then perhaps mine would too.

A/N: I'd like to hear your thoughts on Lucy and Lily's relationship. Where do you see it going and where would you not like it to go? Haha hopefully I get some good feedback so I can mesh it in with what I already have. Thanks!


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